Night Vision by Ella West + Fabulous GIVEAWAY

Oh gosh do I have something brilliant for YOU, blogglings! I’ve got YA author, Ella West, here for an interview, PLUS I’m giving away a copy of her book (thanks to Allen & Unwin). I know, I know, keep calm! Deep breaths! We can do this.

Thank you Allen & Unwin for the review-copy. NIGHT VISION by Ella West hit shelves today, March 26th, 2014. You can stalk the book on the Allen & Unwin website if you like. I know I did. It’s available to buy now.

Viola was born with a genetic condition that makes sunlight deadly. In the dark of night, when most teenagers are tucked up in bed, Viola has the run of her parents’ farm and the surrounding forest. She is used to seeing hidden things through her night-vision goggles, but one night she sees something that could get her into a whole lot of trouble…Viola has always believed she would be dead before she was twenty, but now she must decide just how far she’s willing to go to help her parents keep their beloved farm. Is it okay to steal from a thief? What if the thief might be a killer? And what if the killer threatens to come after her and her family?

Ella West lives on a small sheep farm in Otago, New Zealand with her husband and two teenage sons. She started writing plays for children for the New Zealand School Journal but soon crossed over to fiction and her first teen novel Thieves was published in 2006. Since then she has also written several adult plays including The Middlemarch Singles Ball. She enjoys writing for children and teenagers because anything can happen in a story for children. There’s always magic. West was awarded the Louis Johnson New Writers’ Bursary in 2006 and Thieves was a finalist in the 2007 New Zealand Post Book Awards for Children and Young Adults and was listed as a Storylines Notable Young Adult Fiction Book.

NIGHT VISION is your 4th published book. Was it easier or harder to write compared to your first trilogy?

The Thieves Trilogy was fun and exciting and thrilling and a wild ride which (sigh) is still going on.My fans wanted to know what happened after the end so I’ve started writing a chapter a month on my blog of the fourth book (a trilogy with four books!) which is called Finder Seeker.It seems to be keeping everyone happy and it’s a lot of fun to write.However, Night Vision was hard work.There was the music and the sheep farming and everything else and at times Viola is not the nicest of people to live with.I kept on wanting to yell at her to stop bottling everything up and just chill.She does finally, in the end.

Viola has XP, a condition where she’s allergic to sunlight. What inspired you to write about XP?

By sheer chance (I was flicking through channels on TV one night) I came across a 60 Minutes documentary about Moon Children and started thinking what it would be like to live your life in the dark.Looking back, it was an amazing coincidence.If I had never seen the documentary I would never have written the book.

Wow! I’m seriously glad you saw that documentary, then! Do you play a musical instrument like Viola does?

No – which is why there are lots of thank yous at the front of the book to people who do!

I’m a musician and I think you got the musical references spot-on! Have you always dreamed of being published, or did you start writing as a hobby?

I always wanted to be a writer as a kid and got my first job as a reporter at the local daily paper when I was 17 so I got used to being “published”.But it’s always a thrill to hold a book you have written in your hands, whether it’s your first or now my fourth.Hopefully it will always be a thrill.

What’s your favourite quote in NIGHT VISION?

“Traditions are important.The world likes order and for things to stay the same.Like the trees in the forestry planted in straight lines.I am the ridge line, the hollow, the creek, which breaks the straight line.I am the bad thing that happened in my parents’ lives.”

Eep! That’s a really powerful (but sad) section. What’s the last book you read for fun and what made you pick it up?

I’m trying to read some of the best teen fiction that has come out of the States recently and I loved Rainbow Rowell’s Eleanor and Park.Such a simple story but told so well.

Ooh, Eleanor and Park? I approve. And was any chocolate harmed in the making of this book? 😉

Lots.It is a food group entirely on its own!

I’m agreeing with you there. Thanks for chatting with us, Ella!

If you want to see the glories of my full review, pop over here. Otherwise, I’ll tell you quickly why you should most definitely read Night Vision.

1. Viola, the main character, is allergic to sunlight. Hold the vampire and werewolf jokes (she hates those). But seriously, I love to learn when I read, and I learnt a lot about this medical condition (called XP for short) and about how difficult it would be to live like that!

2. Viola plays viola. What exactly was her mother thinking?! It’s not like Viola could play cello or anything. But anyway, if you love music, this book has loads of musical references. It’s fantastic! It’s actually more musical orientated than anything else. I love the piece Meditation by Massenet, too, by the way. I played it on my violin. Once.

3. Murder. Freeeeaky. I’d hide under my bed, but there might be bad guys under there.

4. It’s set in New Zealand. I don’t know about you, but I have never read a book set in NZ! This was wonderfully enlightening about New Zealand sheep farms (but don’t worry, no boring details)….they’re pretty much like any other sheep farm. There’s lots of sheep. No earthquakes involved.

5. Viola loves the Internet. What can I say? She’s a girl I could wholeheartedly get along with.

What? It’s LURCH. From the Addams family! They totally love darkness, therefore it fits this post. And see, Lurch is smiling. He’s happy.

– for Australian residents only– will be shipped from publisher– entrants must smile like Lurch before entering (just kidding, though feel free…)

Cait likes the darkness. Unless she’s home alone. And the floorboards creak. And there’s nobody there. Then she does not like the darkness. She does, however, have an affinity for all things music and loves to belt out Pirates of the Caribbean on the piano. Classy as always. She’s currently reading THE BONE SEASON.

Comments

If I found a million dollars… Hmm, good question. I'd like to think I'd be a good citizen and hand it into the police or something, but most likely keep half, and give the rest to charity. But then again it depends on the circumstances of how I found the money and whatnot.Thanks for the giveaway, that book sounds seriously awesome.

I love the sound of this Cait, it sounds like of like a mysterious psychological book, totally up my alley. Thanks for the feature, I haven't heard of this before. If I found a million dollars, I would probably put it in the bank and buy a house and give some to my parents, and some to charity lol

If I found a million dollars, I would probably turn it into the police because then if it turns out to belong to evil people who come looking for it, they won't come after me. Which is really boring, but there you have it. (I once found $20 in the sandpit in grade 3 and turned it into the office. No one claimed it, so they gave it to me AND IT WAS THE BEST DAY EVAH)

I want to say I'd be good and return the $1mil but…around the world trip!!! Either that or get someone with financial knowledge to invest in shares for me. 😛 Yeah, I'm boring like that. Wonderful review + interview!

Hmmm. Night Vision sounds pretty cool. I've never read a book set in New Zealand (though we almost moved there, so it would be pretty cool to get to read what it's like…) I'd hate never being to go outside in the light! That would kill me! What about trips to libraries? Do you just, I dunno, buy 50 cent books for your Kindle?

There was a book a few years ago with a similar premise, think it was called What We Saw at Night. This one sounds really interesting. Haven't read anything set in New Zealand, Kiwi authors tend to have the same feel as Aussies, really excited about this one.

I actually read a book by Dean Koontz where the main character had the exact same condition and I really enjoyed it! I think it's a really cool concept when characters hang out at night, that's when all the creepy stuff goes down. If I found a million dollars, I'd instantly go travelling around the world.

Oh, this book sound so interesting! I didn't know that this condition even existed! I have to figure out if it's available in the US. Thanks for the great interview and quick review. And that creepy Lurch gif. 😉

That's pretty interesting! I think I've only read a book once about kids being allergic to sunlight, but it was kind of a bad one, so I have a feeling this one will portray it much much better. I can't join the giveaway, as I'm not a Australian citizen, but that doesn't mean I can't answer the question! 😀 If I found a million bucks, I'd retire at the age of 21, invest it, open a business, and travel all over Europe eating all European things ^_^Faye at The Social Potato

Cait. Why you write exciting reviews for books I can't have? I live in the dumb United States! *cries*This book sounds AMAZING, though–I peeked at your review and was really excited by it. So yeah, thanks a LOT for taunting me with things I can't have. Wendy @ The Midnight Garden

I hadn't heard of this before but it sounds amazing! I may have to hunt this one down for myself. I remember watching a film as a kid that was about someone who was allergic to sunlight. I found it really fascinating and this sounds even better. Thanks for the great review. Now off to Book Depository to see if they have this 😉 My bank account does not approve.